The Selfish and the Selfless
by Brave orange blossom
Summary: After stopping Lance, Dominion, and Jest, all Ace wants to do is sleep. And see Lance again. Unfortunately, the city mayor forces Ace to attend a party for his victory against the dragonoids. While at the party, Ace is tempted to leave, but he wonders if it would be selfish to leave. Lance shows up to smack some sense into him. Established Ace/Lance (or Lance/Ace). One shot.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Puzzle and Dragons X/Cross

 **Pairing:** Ace x Lance

 **Author Notes:** This plot bunny wouldn't leave me alone, so I decided to write it before I forgot about it. I'm working on a multi chapter fanfiction for this series and pairing, but I haven't been able to work on it as much since I'm a busy college student.

This story's setting is in the aftermath of what is happening in canon right now. If you haven't been keeping up with the Japanese version of Puzzle and Dragons, there may be some spoilers. There isn't too many, though. This is an established Ace x Lance (or Lance x Ace) fanfiction. I'm setting this story at a point in their relationship where they feel comfortable around each other. I know it doesn't make a lot of sense (especially when thinking about the canon timeline), but please roll with it.

I hope you guys enjoy it!

 **The Selfish and the Selfless**

Ace plastered on a smile as he shook the hand of the city mayor. He could feel all the people staring at them, and he knew there were television reporters and newspaper reporters taking their picture.

It made him feel self-conscious and slightly uncomfortable.

Normally, he didn't have a problem with all the attention. If he had a problem with attention, he knew he wouldn't have done as well as a dragon caller or in the two tournaments.

But this type of attention…

Ever since stopping Lance, who was in his Reversion state, and Dominion (which included the former elder of light, Jest), the public (consisting of mostly humans) hailed and revered Ace as their savior. After what happened with the dragonoids turning on the humans, the humans had been ecstatic to see Ace's victory. With that victory, they felt Ace had proved the dragonoids wrong (especially Jest who had said all those comments about humans not standing a chance against dragonoids on camera). It also proved that humans could be just as strong as dragonoids.

Of course, most, if not all, of the public were oblivious to the dragonoid blood in Ace and how it had helped him in his recent battles. Ace had no intention of sharing that knowledge with the public. There was no telling what the reaction would be, but considering how the humans felt betrayed and infuriated with the dragonoids, he was certain the reaction wouldn't be positive (even if he was the person who was their acclaimed savior).

He plastered another smile onto his face as the mayor introduced him to his coworkers and friends. It was taking everything he had to act like he was having an enjoyable time and was interested in what these people had to say when all he wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep the rest of the day away.

He and Tamazo were at a celebratory party held at one of the city hall's ballrooms. Earlier in the day, Ace had been resting in his hospital room when the mayor came to visit him.

Ace had acquired many injuries in his recent battles. Some of them were serious, and he had come close to dying because of them. Tamazo and the doctors were unsurprised to hear he didn't know he had been close to death. He remembered during the explanation of his injuries, Tamazo had teared up, looking at him worriedly. Not wanting to interrupt the doctor, Ace had lifted a bandaged hand and beckoned his partner over. Tamazo had sniffed and immediately shot over to him, crashing into his chest and almost making them fall back to his bed. He had wrapped his arms around his partner, smiling softly at the way Tamazo tried to muffle his sobs. When he looked up at the doctor, his eyes had widened upon seeing the doctor was no longer in the room. He had wondered sheepishly if that was his fault for a few moments before returning his attention to Tamazo, whose cries had slowly grown louder.

After reassuring Tamazo he was alright, Ace and Tamazo took a nap. The Tamadra had been reluctant to close his eyes, fearful Ace would still be unconscious and on the verge of death when he opened them, but Ace pulled him close, stroking his back and murmuring sleepily that he would be alright.

Unfortunately, their peace hadn't lasted long. The sound of someone slamming a door woke them up, and a few moments later, the mayor had walked into the room.

The mayor had been excited to see Ace awake and sitting up in bed, crossing the distance that separated them and saying how glad he was to see Ace was alright.

His eyes were what caught Ace's attention first. There had been something in them, making him feel uneasy. It wasn't that he felt the mayor had been ingenuine about worrying about him, but he felt there was another reason why the mayor looked excited to see him awake.

It wasn't until later he realized it had been greed.

After he asked how Ace was feeling and Ace answered he was alright and apologized for making him worry, the mayor's eyes lit up, saying he wanted Ace to come with him. He had explained that he and his coworkers and subordinates had been working on a celebratory party.

Ace, who had felt understandably confused at first, asked what they were celebrating. The mayor had laughed and shouted it was for his victory over the dragonoids.

Upon hearing the reason, Ace's eyes had darkened, looking away from the mayor. A small, naïve part of him had thought that with his victory, the war between dragonoids and humans would end, and they would go back to living together in harmony. Unfortunately, the humans were holding a grudge for what the dragonoids had done (at least in this city. Ace hadn't visited anywhere else to see if the rest of the humans living on Dragoza Island felt the same as the humans in this city).

The mayor hadn't noticed his reaction and kept proclaiming how he had proved the dragonoids (and Jest) wrong and that humans were the superior race.

Ace had clenched his jaw, curling his hands into fists at the man's words. It had taken all his willpower not to lash out and lose control. Tamazo, who had noticed his reaction, kept quiet, and comforted Ace by placing his head against his chest.

Ace had felt grateful to Tamazo. It was thanks to him he managed to control his temper.

As he was finishing his tirade about dragonoids and why he felt they were foolish, the mayor made an offhand, ignorant, and disrespectful comment about Lance.

The young dragon caller had lost his temper at the mention of Lance. He had looked over at the man, glaring at him in a way that would undoubtedly make Lance feel proud of him. Before he could speak, though, Tamazo grabbed the front of his hospital gown. With that silent gesture, Ace had reined his temper in, determined not to be rude (even if the mayor had somewhat deserved it). His glare disappeared, and he looked down at Tamazo to compose himself.

The mayor hadn't noticed Ace's glare. He was too busy insulting Lance to notice or care about anything around him.

While he had reined in most of his anger, Ace couldn't help but speak in between gritted teeth, asking why the mayor came to see him.

As if realizing how long his tirade was, the mayor had apologized, commenting lightly that everyone around him always complained he talked too much at times. The man had laughed at his own joke.

Ace, who was beginning to dislike the mayor, had muttered that nothing he said was funny. His patience and temper had worn thin, and if the man made another comment about the dragonoids or Lance, he was certain that not even Tamazo's presence could stop him from losing control.

The mayor finally started talking about the party. The party was to celebrate Ace's victory over the dragonoids, and he had planned to have one as soon as Ace had woken up.

Ace hadn't wanted to spend another minute in the man's company and felt disgusted and angered people wanted to celebrate after everything that had happened. Didn't people care what would happen to the dragonoids? This was the time where they should be helping each other, not shunning them and looking down on them.

His mouth had opened to say that while he felt honored, he would have to decline. Why he would decline, he already knew, but he couldn't tell the mayor his true reason without giving in to his anger, so he thought mentioning his injuries would work.

But before he could say anything, the mayor had mentioned that the public had worried about him and his injuries. They were desperate to see that their savior was alright.

Even though Ace abhorred his new title, he had felt guilty for worrying the public. There was a part of him that felt it was his duty to show up at the party and show he was alright.

Ace had reluctantly agreed to Tamazo's disbelief and anger, making the mayor beam with delight. The mayor had somehow pulled some strings to get him released early (even though he still had some serious wounds that could open again if he weren't careful) and took him to a shop specializing in suits and dresses.

The young dragon caller had protested upon seeing the suits, asking if it was mandatory to wear one for the party. Unfortunately, the mayor had mentioned that it would be a formal party, so he reluctantly gave in to him.

When the price of the suit and the topic of his hospital bill came up, the mayor had dismissively replied that he would take care of it. Ace had felt surprised and grateful to hear that. A small part of him was beginning to think that the mayor had a good side to him.

But on the way to the party hall, Ace had overheard the mayor speaking to his assistant about how Ace showing up at the party would earn him enormous amounts of money. They could use that money to fund the upcoming election and help him get reelected. The price of the suit and the hospital bill would be nothing compared to all the money he would receive.

Upon hearing that, Ace's mood had plummeted. He felt disgusted and angry that this man was the mayor of the city. He didn't understand how anyone could vote for him. The only thing stopping him from blowing off the party and leaving behind the mayor's back was the thought of the public.

On the way to the party hall and while they were waiting for the party to start, Tamazo had protested Ace's decision. Loudly. He kept mentioning Ace's injuries and how he shouldn't be walking around. Ace had shushed him, lightly saying that he was alright and couldn't feel the injuries.

That had been a lie, and both him and Tamazo knew it. There was nothing Ace could do, though. He had placated Tamazo by saying he would rest as soon as the party ended. When that wasn't enough to turn the Tamadra's mood around, Ace had mentioned the buffet table and how there was enormous amounts of food at the party. Predictably, his partner's eyes had lit up, exclaiming he couldn't wait to get to the party. For the first time since waking up from his nap, Ace had smiled and laughed. He was glad to see his partner return to his normal self.

Upon arriving to the party, though, Ace had been quick to realize that the public the mayor was talking about was different than the public he was thinking of. The public Ace was thinking of was the citizens of the city. The citizens would be from all the different working classes.

That wasn't the case, though.

The mayor had only invited the television and newspaper reporters, his colleagues and subordinates, and those who had voted for him in the last election.

Everyone had cheered and expressed their relief that Ace was alright when he arrived, but as soon as the mayor finished shaking his hand, most of them had ignored him and turned their attention to the mayor.

There were some people who walked up to Ace and acted interested in what he had to say, but Ace quickly learned that those people were just as dislikable, bigoted, and ignorant as the mayor.

After listening to another rude and ignorant comment about dragonoids, Ace gave a flimsy excuse and walked away.

He shook his head, deciding not to speak to anyone else at this ridiculous party.

Ace stood near the left wall of the ballroom. While he had been talking to the people, his eyes had wandered around the place, noticing with amusement that Tamazo hadn't left the food tables since they had arrived. How much could that glutton eat?

He had also noticed that there appeared to be no dragonoids or other dragon callers besides him at the party. Unless they were in disguise. He couldn't blame the dragonoids if they came here in disguise, although why they would come here when they could be spending their time somewhere more important (and not waste their time) was beyond him.

His eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. The hands at his sides curled into fists as he looked around the ballroom.

What was wrong with these people?

He had encountered dragonoids who were against humans before, and he wasn't that naïve to think that there weren't any humans who were against dragonoids… but to this extent?

All these people could only think of the humans. All of them could only think about themselves and how to gain more power.

And it was more of a gut feeling or intuition, but somehow, he got the feeling these people wouldn't be willing to listen to him or willing to change their minds about dragonoids.

Of course, there was the fact that his battles against Lance, Jest, and the other dragonoids had finished recently. In fact, it had only been a few days since the final battle.

He knew the recent events were on people's minds, and they were afraid something like this would happen again soon. He also knew that it sometimes took time for people to forgive or think differently about a situation. But…

These people drove him crazy.

What these people were doing… What these people thought of dragonoids… How they proclaimed he was the humans' 'savior', yet they had no qualms about using that status for their own gain, saying that the 'public' needed to be reassured only to toss him aside when he wasn't needed anymore…

Ace felt like screaming. He felt like using all the energy he had to change their minds.

Couldn't they see what they were doing and feeling was wrong?

He sighed, letting all the tension leave his body. His fists uncurled, his jaw unclenching.

The only problem was that he was exhausted.

When he had placated Tamazo earlier by saying he would rest as soon as the party was over, he hadn't been joking or lying. The mayor had woken them up from their short nap.

And his injuries hadn't healed yet.

He needed that rest to recover.

His head faced the ground, letting the shadows cover his exhausted expression and weary eyes. Normally, he would worry someone would notice, but he knew no one would notice here.

For several moments, he entertained the thought of leaving the party with Tamazo. They didn't need him anymore. The corners of his mouth dropped into a frown as he thought about how they had used him.

The mayor had no qualms about proclaiming his friendship with Ace to everyone at the party. After a while, Ace had felt as if he were a trophy.

It made him sick to his stomach.

But then he thought of the public. While these people were as bigoted as their mayor, they had seemed, at least briefly, genuinely concerned for his well-being. And while he knew the public he was thinking of wasn't represented at the party, he knew news of his well-being would circulate in the newspapers and television stations.

Would it be selfish if he were to leave the party early? Wasn't it his duty to attend and stay until the end?

He jumped as a hand touched his wrist. Somehow, he knew who it was without turning around, although why _he_ was here confused Ace.

Before he could turn around, the hand on his wrist tugged him backward. Ace clumsily followed as best as he could, but there were times he would trip over his own feet and almost fall. Whenever that would happen, the person behind him wrapped his other arm around his waist and brought him closer to halt the fall.

Once they were in the safety of the shadows of the left wall, the person let go of Ace's wrist and wrapped his arms around his waist.

A small smile touched Ace's lips. He exhaled, leaning back on the person who had kidnapped him. Somehow feeling that he would have to start the conversation, although he wasn't surprised considering who it was, he couldn't help but chuckle. Of all the people to kidnap him, he was glad it was _him_. "Lance…"

Lance tightened his grip briefly in response.

Rolling his eyes good-naturedly, he moved his weary eyes to look at the other. Thankfully, there was enough light to see the dragonoid holding him and his expression. " _Lance_ …"

Lance, who had been looking around the ballroom, looked down at him. "Ace."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes again, Ace smiled at him. "It is good to see you."

This time, it was Lance who resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He finally found the boy after not finding him in the hospital, and of all the things he could've said to him first, he said that? He couldn't deny the warmth that grew in his chest upon hearing his words, though. He was tempted to answer with something different, but Ace's smile distracted him from what he originally wanted to say. "… It is good to see you too." And because he had spent hours searching for the boy in his arms, his eyes darkened. A glare came onto his face as he released one of his arms.

Ace smiled a bright smile at him, and he was about to ask what Lance was doing here. Before he could, though, Lance's expression caught him off guard. Why was Lance glaring at him?

At the same that Lance released one of his arms from around Ace's waist, Ace's mouth opened of its own accord. Before he could speak, though, Lance flicked him on the forehead.

The brunet yelped, bringing his hands up to his forehead. Throwing the other boy a glare, he rubbed his forehead. "What was that for?"

Lance, though, was unaffected by Ace's glare and wrapped his arm around the brunet's waist once more. " _That_ was for making me look for you. I searched for hours! You idiot! Why did you leave the hospital?"

Ace felt guilty upon hearing Lance had spent hours looking for him. If he had stayed at the hospital, he wouldn't have worried Lance. His anger returned at the insult, though. "Shut up. How was I supposed to know when you would arrive? I didn't make you search for me." Even as he said the words, he knew it was a mistake, but the anger had taken over.

Lance scowled, glaring an icy glare at the other boy. "I would think even an idiot like you would have the common sense to stay at the hospital. Unless you have some instant recovery ability I should know about," he hissed coolly. He noticed Ace had neglected to mention _why_ he left the hospital. Of course, looking around, he had an idea what that reason could be, but it still didn't fully explain why _Ace_ was here.

The last thing Ace wanted was to argue with Lance. After everything they went through, Ace hadn't seen his rival in a few days. And he had worried about him. Ace hadn't been the only one to receive injuries from their fight. Lance, in his Reversion state, had kept fighting even with injuries. He was certain that just like him, Lance still had injuries that were healing. Thinking back on their fight made him grit his teeth. His heart was telling him to stop arguing and ask about his injuries, but he couldn't listen to his heart while blinded by his anger. " _Funny_. You are so _funny_ , Lance. I would think that when it comes to instant recovery abilities, you would beat me on this one. Besides, I'm not the only one who left the hospital early." He raised his eyebrows mockingly. "But I'm not surprised. You can be very stubborn at times."

Lance almost growled. Ace was close to making him lose control. It wasn't something he wanted to do (especially in these circumstances), but if Ace continued to anger him, he would do it. "I don't want to hear that from an idiot who can't take care of himself. And you can be just as stubborn, if not more stubborn than me."

"I can take care of myself! I can take care of myself without your help. I don't need or want your help." Scowling, Ace looked away, lifted his hands and started pulling at Lance's arms around his waist. "Let go."

… Now _that_ stung. Lance couldn't speak for a few moments, frightened his true emotions would bubble up to the surface. As if that wasn't enough, Ace started adding salt to the wound by pulling at his arms. Was Ace angry to the point where he didn't want to be around him anymore? Instead of letting go, he tightened his grip.

"Lance! I said _let go_!" Ace pulled at Lance's arms to no avail. It wasn't that Lance was hurting him with his grip. He knew Lance wouldn't do it if he knew he was hurting him. He stopped for a few moments to look back at his rival. "What are you even doing here? You aren't wanted."

Lance refused to let go of Ace. Ace didn't understand what he was feeling. He had woken up at the hospital and after bonding with Devi and apologizing for everything, he had left to look for Ace with Devi. Devi had tried to reassure him that Ace was alright, but he had to see with his own eyes that he was alright. Guilt and worry swirled around in his mind. He had to know how badly hurt Ace was… because of _him_. During the final battle, everyone (including Ace and Devi) had told him that it wasn't his fault. They had told him that it was Jest's fault, but he couldn't help feeling guilty for everything he did. He had been the one to attack Ace and injure him. And so, after finding out Ace had left the hospital unknowing it was out of Ace's free will, he had desperately searched for him, thinking Ace had ended up in trouble. And after finally finding him at the strangest of places, all he wanted to do was to hold him and not let go. Of course, he would check over the other's injuries and send him back to the hospital, but for a short while, he had wanted to hold Ace. He wanted to feel the other's heartbeat and revel in his presence. He wanted to hold Ace, knowing the other boy was safe and not in any kind of trouble.

He wasn't the best at expressing his emotions or what he was thinking. Unlike a lot of other people, he didn't have a way with words. He had trouble expressing that he was worried when he couldn't find Ace at the hospital, and instead of saying that like a normal person (or dragonoid), he had fallen back on what his old self used to do and scolded Ace.

Lance's eyes widened at Ace's words. He wasn't wanted? His surprise quickly turned into anger. There was no going back now. He let go of Ace momentarily only to pull him backward once more.

The brunet blinked a few times, caught off guard when Lance let him go. Before he could step away from Lance, though, Lance had grabbed him once more. He yelped as Lance pulled him backward, crying out as his back hit the wall behind him.

His eyes opened, having closed them when he felt the pain on his back. Lance had grabbed his hands and pinned him against the wall. Ace's mouth opened to ask what the hell Lance was doing, but he never got a chance as Lance leaned in and kissed him. On the lips.

Ace froze at the contact, his eyes wide. It wasn't as if this was the first time Lance or anyone else had kissed him. Lance had kissed him before, and he had kissed Lance back. But this kiss was different. It felt… _angry_. Instead of reciprocating like he normally would've done, he stood still, shocked. What had he done or said to warrant this… angry kiss? His mind replayed what he had said before Lance pinned him against the wall, making him understand.

Lance had misunderstood.

When Lance pulled away from him for a breather, Ace struggled in his grasp. "Wait, Lance," he said, after breathing in much needed air. "You misunderstood what I was saying."

Lance, who had been wanting to kiss Ace again, hadn't been able to control himself in his anger. While there was a part of him growling in anger (and a bit of damaged pride), he managed to rein in most of his anger and settled for giving the brunet another icy glare. "Oh? And what have I misunderstood? _Ace_ …"

Ace couldn't help but shiver at the way Lance said his name, although whether it was out of fear or pleasure, he didn't know. One part of him not focused on what was going on wondered why he would take pleasure in hearing his name said with so much anger, but he hastily pushed it aside. Those types of thoughts would only lead to bad thoughts. His face flushed at the thought of bad thoughts, hastily pushing them away.

While he was still angry, Lance couldn't help but feel amused as Ace flushed. What was the boy thinking about? Something told him that it had something to do with him. He would have to force the answers out of him later. "Well, Ace? I'm waiting," he said impatiently.

Ace looked down at the floor, feeling the exhaustion from earlier come back. Or maybe it was because he was no longer angry and the anger had kept the exhaustion away. "You don't understand," he said softly. His voice took on a pleading tone as he looked up at Lance. "If they knew you were here, you would get hurt." There was a part of him that wanted to believe in these people and believe they wouldn't hurt Lance, but he couldn't help feeling uneasy. His eyes expressed his worry and fear for the older boy. "They have a grudge against the dragonoids. Dragonoids aren't wanted here." His hands twitched from where they were above his head. If he could, he would grab onto Lance's cloak and make him understand.

Golden-yellow eyes widened at Ace's words. While there was a part of him that wasn't surprised to hear it, he had to admit he was surprised to find Ace here now that he had a general idea of what the party was for. Ace didn't have to spell it out for him. With those words, he knew what the party was for. His eyes darkened, his jaw clenching as he tossed a glare over his shoulder at the people attending the party. Maybe it was because he was a dragonoid, but he didn't see any reason to celebrate. He had to remind himself that these were humans. Foolish and ignorant humans.

Lance turned his eyes back to Ace, his eyes softening upon noticing the emotions in the other's eyes. He felt tempted to flick the other's forehead again. He sighed, releasing the rest of his anger as well as the other's hands. Leaning forward and resting his forehead on the other's forehead, he wrapped his arms around Ace's waist. "Idiot. As if I would want to attend this stupid party. And you know I can take care of myself." He noticed that Ace looked exhausted and resisted the urge to scold him.

Ace blinked as Lance released his hands, but before he could move, Lance had leaned forward and rested his forehead on his own. He noticed that Lance's arms wrapped around his waist once more. Unlike before, though, he wanted them to stay. Upon hearing the insult, his temper flared up once more. The only thing stopping him from retorting was the other's softened expression. He hummed, closing his eyes and wrapping his own arms around his rival. "You jerk. You know that's not what I meant." He couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips.

Lance felt tempted to chuckle. Instead of responding, though, he leaned back and tugged Ace forward.

Ace opened his eyes, irritated his rival leaned away from him. Noticing what the other wanted, he rolled his eyes good-naturedly, placing his head on the other's chest. He turned his head sideways, not wanting his voice muffled by Lance's cloak. "Is this better?" he murmured.

Lance couldn't help but let out a pleased and slightly smug noise.

Ace rolled his eyes once more. _Arrogant jerk_. Lance always had to have things done his way. And yet he couldn't help but find the other's noise cute. "Hey, Lance?" Upon receiving a noncommittal grunt, he pulled back enough to look in the other's eyes. Truthfully, this would be easier to say nestled in Lance's chest, but this was important. He wanted to see the other's reaction. "Have I told you I like you recently?" he said softly.

Lance smirked at him. "Yeah. Not too long ago."

Ace frowned at him. "You jerk. You aren't supposed to say that."

Lance couldn't help himself. He leaned in, pecking the other on his lips. He felt smug and pleased upon seeing the other's surprised and flushed face as he pulled away. "If that wasn't a good enough answer- "

"It wasn't!" protested a flushing Ace.

"-then I suppose I'll _reciprocate_." Lance put emphasis on the last word, secretly amused and pleased when it had the effect of making Ace shiver and look at him expectantly. For a moment, he considered the idea of teasing him, but he quickly discarded it. He could repeat the words Ace had said to him. He had done it before. Unfortunately, that didn't make this any easier. Maybe it would come with more time. He leaned in, nuzzling the other's neck for a moment before pulling away. "I like you too."

Ace, who had opened his mouth to tell Lance off for teasing him, gaped at him. While there was the happiness that came with hearing his rival say that to him, he wasn't expecting it. He could feel his face heat up once more. Warmth grew in his chest. "W-Wait. I wasn't ready. Say it one more time."

Lance's smirk returned to his face. "I'm not saying it again."

"Lance!" Ace complained half-heartedly.

"Forget about that for a moment. We are leaving."

Caught off guard by the serious look on Lance's face, Ace blinked a few times, feeling confused. "Eh?"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Lance repeated himself. "We are leaving."

"Yeah. I heard that. Why?"

Lance almost shot him an incredulous look, but he managed to stop himself in time. "Why do you think?" he said sarcastically. Ace couldn't fool him. He knew Ace didn't want to stay at this party any more than he did, yet he was protesting. Why?

Ace shot him a glare at the sarcasm before letting his eyes drop to the ground, biting his lip to stop himself from automatically agreeing. He wanted to. He wanted to leave the party with Lance, but the public came to his mind. Wouldn't it be selfish to leave early? Wouldn't it be rude to the mayor? What about his duty as their savior?

The dragonoid felt confused at the other's reaction. He didn't understand why Ace was acting like this. For one crazy moment, he thought Ace wanted to stay at the party, but he quickly dismissed that thought. Ace would _never_ want to stay at a party like this (especially one that had bigoted and idiotic humans who would try to hurt him because he was a dragonoid). His eyes darkened, feeling irritated at Ace's silence. He had to remind himself that he knew Ace and that his silence didn't mean he was defending the other humans in the room. Managing to rein in his anger, he released one of his arms to grab the other's chin.

Ace gasped as the other grabbed his chin and forced him to look into the other's eyes, his breath catching at the emotions in them. "Lance?"

"What is it? What's wrong?" At Ace's confused look, Lance let go of his chin and gestured to the party going on behind him. "Why do you want to stay? You aren't like them. You aren't enjoying yourself."

Ace bit his lip once more, hesitant to reveal why he was acting this way. Lance would undoubtedly say that he was an idiot for wasting his time and energy on these people. He hesitated for a few moments before speaking in a soft voice. "Am I being selfish?"

Lance raised an eyebrow. Selfish was not a word he would use to describe Ace. Ace was selfless to the point of not caring about himself if it meant the other person (or dragonoid) was alright. An image of an exhausted and heavily injured Ace came to mind. Ace had smiled brightly at him, not minding or caring that he was injured. He had expressed his relief and happiness that Lance had returned to normal. When someone had pointed out his injuries, the brunet had laughed, lightly mentioning that in a battle with Lance, getting injured wasn't something to be surprised about. More memories of their last battle rose unbidden in his mind, bringing back the guilt, but he quickly pushed them away. That was something to think about for another time. "Why do you think that?"

"It is just…" Ace paused, glancing over Lance's shoulder. "They were worried about me. If I were to leave the party early, they might notice and worry about me. I'm their _savior_." As much as he tried to stop himself, he couldn't stop the bitterness from creeping into his tone at the mention of his abhorred title. "I shouldn't make them worry. Maybe I should stay for the rest of the party. If only to reassure them that I'm alright."

Letting out a scoff, Lance resisted the urge to roll his eyes. _Unbelievable_. Yet, it was just like Ace to feel that way. "Idiot. Why are you wasting your time and energy on these people? They don't care about you. They don't even know you."

 _I knew he would say that._ Ace knew it, and yet he couldn't stop himself from protesting. "But- "

"These _humans_ …" Lance snarled, struggling to keep his temper in check. "These _humans_ don't know anything. They are always the same. They are all selfish. Always thinking of themselves and how to get more power." He couldn't help but move his eyes to look at the man who was the center of attention. No doubt, that was the mayor who had forced Ace to come. "Look at him. He is just as greedy and power hungry as the rest of them." He moved his eyes back to Ace. "He _used_ you!" Venom was practically dripping off his tone.

Lance half expected Ace to scold him for thinking all humans were the same and that the mayor had a good side to him, but to his and Ace's surprise, Ace didn't say anything to counter what he said. If it weren't for the fact that he knew Ace wouldn't like it, he would've revealed himself to the partygoers. Normally, he didn't care about what the humans thought and preferred not to waste his time on them, but this time, he felt tempted to do something. He felt like making them pay for what they did to Ace.

The brunet avoided eye contact. Even if Lance told him not to feel that way, he couldn't stop himself from feeling that way. While he normally would've scolded Lance for thinking all humans were the same, his mouth refused to work when his rival mentioned the mayor. What Lance was saying was true. Not only that, but his mind had reminded him why he disliked the mayor and couldn't find it in himself to defend the man.

Lance sighed, letting his anger die down. He grabbed the other's chin and forced him to look at him. "You don't have to do anything. They are the ones who gave you that title. You don't like it, right?" Not needing Ace to confirm his thoughts, he continued. "If they really cared, they wouldn't be having this… _party_ tonight." Venom dripped off his tone. Noticing the other was about to protest again, he gave him a stern glare. "I'm not blind, Ace. I can tell that you are exhausted. And I'm not going to argue with you about this. We are leaving. Now."

Ace's eyes widened. _Of course_. _They_ were the ones who gave him the title of savior. He had assumed that he had to accept the title and accept the responsibility that came with it. But that wasn't the case. He had a choice in this, and he didn't have to stick around if he didn't want to. He was hurting and punishing himself by staying here. No one would care if he left. No one would stop him. He sighed, letting out a relieved breath. A smile formed on his face. For some reason, he felt lighter. It was as if Lance lifted an imaginary burden off his shoulders. "Thank you, Lance."

The dragonoid resisted the urge to snort. _Finally_. Ace finally understood what he was trying to say. And Ace had the nerve to say that _he_ was the stubborn one. What an idiot. He pulled the other closer to him. "Took you long enough," he muttered.

Ace slumped against him, no longer able to support himself. He felt Lance's surprise as the dragonoid tightened his grip and adjusted his stance so that they wouldn't fall over. If he could, he would pull away and support himself, but he was afraid that if he pulled away, he would collapse on the ground without Lance to support him. "Sorry," he murmured, feeling guilty he couldn't hold on longer than this.

Lance resisted the urge to scoff. "Don't be ridiculous. None of this is your fault." If anything, it was his fault Ace was in this position in the first place. No doubt, Ace would argue and say that it wasn't, but he knew it was.

"I should be stronger than this, though," Ace protested weakly.

"You are exhausted and heavily injured," Lance replied. "That _man_ interrupted your rest. It is his fault you are like this." He managed to stop himself from snarling at the mention of the mayor, but he was unable to keep the venom out of his tone.

"But you are exhausted and heavily injured too! I can't make you do all of the work!"

Lance almost rolled his eyes at the other's stupidity. Did Ace forget he was a dragon caller? "A transport dragon will help us."

The brunet felt like hitting himself. Hard. Of course Lance would ride a transport dragon to get here. How else would he get here? "… Right," he murmured sheepishly. He closed his eyes, leaning his head on the other's chest and listening to the other's heartbeat. He was glad and relieved Lance was alive and by his side. He didn't know what he would do without him.

Sometime later, Ace opened his eyes, blearily noticing he was in Lance's arms and that Lance was walking somewhere. When had that happened? And why didn't he notice it? As they reached the entrance to the ballroom, his eyes started closing once more. All he wanted to do was sleep. Lance wouldn't mind if he fell asleep in his arms, right? At least Tamazo was being considerate for once and not being noisy.

Wait… Tamazo being silent? That wasn't right.

He forced his eyes to open, looking up at Lance. "Wait."

Lance was about to exit the ballroom when he heard the boy in his arms speak up. He stopped, looking down at him surprised. He had thought Ace was asleep. "Is something wrong?" he muttered.

"Tamazo… Where is he? Does he know where I am? We have to find him," Ace said worriedly. He raised his hands to push at Lance's chest weakly. "Put me down. I have to find him."

The dragonoid's eyes softened at the other's worried tone, but he tightened his grip on the boy. "And where do you think you'll be able to go in that state?"

Ace struggled weakly to no avail. "Lance," he whined softly. "This isn't funny. I have to find Tamazo."

Lance felt tempted to grit his teeth at the other's stubbornness. Ace had a bad habit of pushing himself whenever he was injured or supposed to be resting. While he understood Ace's worry for his partner, he and Ace both knew he wouldn't get anywhere in his current state. "Relax," he muttered, resisting the urge to scold him. "I already sent Devi to find him. They'll catch up with us later."

Ace stopped struggling and looked up at him irritated. "Why didn't you say that in the first place?" He looked away from him, tempted to cross his arms in front of his chest. "Arrogant jerk," he muttered.

Lance looked back up, ignoring him as he started walking once more.

After a few moments of silence, Lance looked down at Ace, unsurprised to see him avoiding his gaze. He knew it was his fault. "The last time I saw him, he was still at the food table." He wasn't sure what made him say it. All he knew was that he didn't want to end the night on a sour note.

Ace looked back at him. He was surprised but also pleased that Lance spoke to him about Tamazo. "That guy… How much food can fit in that stomach of his?" he said, exasperated.

"He is like Devi in that regard."

The corners of Ace's mouth twitched upward into a smile. "You know Devi doesn't like it when you say that."

Lance gave him an amused smirk, but he didn't reply. He looked back up, inwardly relieved and happy to see Ace smiling again.

Ace rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Now that he knew Tamazo would catch up to them, he could feel the exhaustion from earlier returning. He leaned his head back on Lance's chest, his hands grabbing the front of his cloak. His eyes closed of its own accord, comforted by the arms around him and the other's heartbeat.

If Ace had kept his eyes open for a little bit longer, he would've seen a genuine smile on Lance's face.

ZZZ

Ace woke up sometime later, feeling disoriented. What had happened? And why did he feel like he had battled a hundred Lances… at the same time? He groaned, struggling to open his eyes to get some answers.

After getting his eyes open (which embarrassingly took longer than he thought it would), he blinked a few times as his surroundings came into focus. At first, he thought there was something wrong with his vision, but he quickly realized it was because the room was dark.

He frowned, squinting as he looked around.

No… That wasn't right. The room wasn't completely dark. Moonlight permeated through a window near him, lighting up the room he was in.

He was surprised to see he wasn't in a hospital room. What had happened? Why did he leave the hospital? Movement in the corner of his eyes caught his attention. His eyes widened upon noticing a figure in a blue cloak and blue hat standing by the window with his back to him. There was only person he knew that wore a blue cloak and blue hat.

 _Lance…_

He remembered meeting the mayor and attending the party. And he remembered meeting up with Lance and everything that led up to them leaving the party together. His face flushed, remembering the kiss and how Lance carried him in his arms.

Ace sat up, blinking a few more times. This wasn't a dream, right? Lance was here? He immediately jumped out of bed, intent on giving his rival a hug, but as soon as his feet touched the ground, they buckled underneath him, making him fall to the ground.

He heard a muttered curse and something that sounded like his name before he found himself in Lance's arms once more. His face flushed, looking at his rival. "Lance…"

"Idiot. What are you doing, getting out of bed like that?" Lance scolded, tightening his grip. He had thought Ace was asleep. When did he wake up? He noticed Ace's flushed face and resisted the urge to smirk.

Ace winced at the other's glare, looking away sheepishly. "Sorry. I'm alright now." He couldn't say he had forgotten about his injuries and exhaustion in his hurry to hug Lance.

Lance sighed, helping him stand up. He held onto the other's shoulders for a few more moments before reluctantly letting go. "Are you alright?"

Ace blinked a few times. What kind of question was that? Didn't he already answer that? It wasn't until he noticed Lance's hands twitching, his eyes scanning his body that he understood what the other was asking. A soft, happy smile came onto his face. "I'm alright." When Lance gave him an unconvinced look, he rolled his eyes good-naturedly and reached out for his hands. Holding them in his own, he gave his rival another smile, although this one was tinged with fond exasperation. "I'm alive. You are alive. And you are here with me. That's all that matters."

Lance felt tempted to argue. He and Ace both knew Ace was not _alright_. But when Ace reached out and held his hands in his own, smiling at him in a way that both irritated him and made him happy, the temptation died down. Warmth grew in his chest as Ace held his hands. If he were honest, though, he would rather have him in his arms. He turned his hands in the other's grip, tugging at them lightly. "Sappy," he grumbled, unwilling to admit how happy Ace's words made him.

"You know you love it," Ace said cheekily. He rolled his eyes once more, giving in to his rival's tugging and stepping forward. Honestly, his rival could be so needy at times. But it wasn't as if he minded. Most of the time.

Lance couldn't help but let out a pleased noise as Ace stepped into his arms, wrapping his arms around his waist. This was better. He would just have to be careful not to hurt him. He wouldn't want to aggravate any of the other's injuries.

Once again, Ace thought Lance's pleased noise was cute. He wrapped his own arms around his rival, leaning his head against his chest and looking up at him. "What about you? Are you alright?"

"I'm alright," Lance said. Ace gave him an unimpressed and unconvinced look. "Shut up. You knew I would say that." He looked away, his face flushing a light pink. He hesitated for several moments before speaking. "I feel better, knowing you are alright," he muttered softly.

Ace blushed at the other's words. "Now who's the one being sappy?" he teased, a smile forming on his face.

Lance looked back at him, giving him a glare. While he still felt embarrassed, he felt pleased, noticing Ace's blush.

The brunet snorted. "Relax. I was just teasing you. But if it helps…" He paused, hesitating for a few more moments to compose himself. "I feel better, knowing you are alright as well."

Lance scoffed. "Now you're just copying me." But he felt happy, knowing he was special to Ace. His eyes softened as Ace yawned, releasing one of his arms to rub at his eyes. "You should go back to bed. You still look exhausted."

For once, Ace agreed with Lance and didn't argue. But once he was in bed and Lance started pulling away, his eyebrows furrowed. He reached out with one hand to stop the other. "Wait."

Lance hadn't wanted to part from Ace, but he knew the boy needed his rest. He was about to leave when Ace reached out with one hand. One of his hands reached out and grabbed Ace's, letting their fingers interlock and letting it rest on the bed. "What is it?"

"Where are you going? You need your rest as well."

Lance looked at him, confused. Before he could respond, though, Ace tugged on his hand. It was obvious what he wanted, yet Lance still hesitated. Was it… alright if he did what Ace wanted? But, he reminded himself, this was _Ace_. He was special.

He didn't hesitate after that. He let go of the other's hand, so he could climb into bed next to Ace. Once he pulled the covers over them both, he reached out and pulled Ace closer. He closed his eyes, feeling comforted by the other's breathing and heartbeat. He was glad Ace asked him to stay. He didn't think he would be able to leave the other for the night even if he wanted to. Reassured that Ace was alright and still liked him, he finally began to relax.

After everything that happened recently, he finally wasn't alone. He didn't know what would happen in the future with the dragonoids and humans or even with the guild, but he did know one thing.

He wasn't going to leave Ace again.

 **ZZZZZZZZZZZZ**

 **Author Notes:** I hope you guys enjoyed this story. If you have time, please review. I would love to know what you thought of my story.

See you next time!


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